


Ten Times Emma Restored Henry’s Faith in Humanity

by ethan_green



Series: Found Family [2]
Category: StarKid Productions RPF, The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Depression, Eating Disorders, Fluff, Trans!Emma, sweethearts, trans!Henry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2020-03-09 17:53:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18922090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ethan_green/pseuds/ethan_green
Summary: Emma helps random strangers





	1. Chapter 1

Henry walked down the road, a peppy tune in his head. It was a nice day, still early enough that there weren’t many people out and about yet. 

Ahead of him, a commotion broke out. He stared, frozen. This was why he didn’t leave his bunker.

A little girl with pigtails was being dragged by a tall man, who was dragging her down the sidewalk, yelling at her. A woman in a dress robe chased after them. The girl was struggling and had fat tears dripping down her cheeks.

“Let her go! You have no right!” The woman was yelling.

“She’s my daughter!”

“Not after what you did last night! Let her go, right now, Steven!”

“Daddy, you’re hurting me!” the girl sobbed.

Henry knew he should do something. Then the man swung.

The woman went down right away, moaning softly. Her daughter cried harder, fighting.

Henry surged forward to help her. He couldn’t fight, but he had enough medical knowledge to help her.

“Let her go, fucker!” a young woman was up in his face. She only went up to his chest, but somehow, she was much scarier.

“This is none of your business!” the man growled, and Henry thought for a moment that he was going to hit her too.

“I’ve called the police. I suggest you leave, unless you want kidnapping on the charges of assault!” The young woman yelled, grabbing the little girl, who clung to her like a lifeline.

The man scowled and stalked off, realizing he had an audience.

“Are you Alright?” he asked the mother, “that was a good knock.”

“Isabella, Isabella, where’s Izzie?” she mumbled, scrambling to her feet, “I’ll be okay, where’s Izzie?”

Her daughter ran to her, her small body still wracked with sobs.

“The police will be here soon. Give them your statements, it’ll all be okay,” The young woman said, comfortingly, “if you need a witness, tell them my name is Emma Perkins, I work at the coffee shop over there.”

“Thank you! God bless you. Both of you.”

Henry smiled as the family went back inside and Emma went back to work. Maybe Humanity wasn’t so bad after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry’s depressed and Emma unwittingly helps

It was two weeks into classes, and Henry was already exhausted. His students weren't the problem (almost of them were actually very polite, respectful, and hardworking), but his coworkers had been mocking him more and more, and getting out of bed had been getting harder and harder. 

He eventually dragged his ass out of bed, showering quickly and getting dressed. No need to eat, it probably wouldn’t stay down anyway. 

Henry drove to the college, trapped in his thoughts. Maybe he could take tomorrow off. Probably not.

He entered the building, making his way to his office. It was up on the sixth floor, way at the end. Away from everyone else. He had a couple hours before his first class, maybe he could get his brain together before then.

He turned on some music and sat heavily in his chair. In three weeks, he would have essays to mark. In four months, he would have exams to mark. In nine months, he would watch them graduate. The cycle would repeat. New students who didn’t care, new professors who would learn to hate him, new–

Knock, knock

There was someone at his door.

Henry opened it. It was Emma Perkins. They had met before she started his class, even if she didn’t know it. She was a sweet girl. Kind, always trying her best.

“Hello, Emma,” he forced a smile onto his face. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see her, he was just exhausted. “What can I do for you?”

“I was having trouble understanding this part of the test. Could you go over it with me please?” She looked concerned.

“Of course!”

“Great!” She stepped, taking off her backpack, “I brought you a muffin from work. They’re fresh, so they’re probably edible.”

Henry smiled as she handed it to him. He hadn’t eaten in three days, but Emma had been kind enough to bring him food, he couldn’t just turn it down.

They went over the test slowly. Emma made jokes and they chatted for a bit while eating their breakfast before she had to go to her class.

“See you in an Hour, Professor! And thank you!”

“No, Emma, thank  you ,” he whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry has bad thoughts and Emma chases them away

Henry’s day had been horrible. He had slept late, been mocked by his coworkers—who were supposed to be professionals—, his students had been unruly, and he had forgotten his headphones at home. Truly, the fact that he wasn’t crying already was a miracle.

He walked down a bridge, staring at the swirling water. The thought of jumping in flitted through his head.

It was nothing new to him. He had attempted suicide before. Once when he got outed in tenth grade, once when he had been kicked out when he was twenty-two, and when his boyfriend’s had died. It had been 26 years since then. He was clean almost 9 years. Still, the dark, inky water was very tempting. Who would miss him, anyway? He didn’t have friends, he didn’t have family, he wasn’t even a particularly good community member. He leaned further on the railing.

“Professor?” He spun around.

Emma Perkins stood in front of him. If anyone was to miss him, it might be her.

“Good evening, Emma,” he nodded.

“Are you okay?” she asked, ”I know our class was shitty today, I wanted to apologize for that.”

“You are not responsible for others behavior,” Henry smiled, “but thank you. 

Emma nodded, biting her lip. “What were you doing?”

“Just looking at the water,” he lied easily. She didn’t need to know he had been contemplating suicide. “Yourself?”

“I don’t know. I just got a feeling I should come here,” she hesitated before continuing. “You know, Professor, you’re the best teacher at that damn school, you know that, right?”

 Henry laughed. “Emma, I am far from the best.”

“No!” Emma insisted, “The other professors don’t really care. They don’t help us with assignments, and they don’t go over assignments with us, and they certainly don’t make sure we’re all taken care of!” 

Henry smiled. It was nice to hear.

“Anyway, you’re my favourite professor, and it’s important to me that you know that.”

“Thank you, Emma. That means the world to me,” he told her.

She grinned. “I should be getting home. See you tomorrow?”

“Of course.”

As Emma walked away, Henry pondered her. Did she know what he was thinking? Was she just being nice? It didn’t matter.

Henry walked away from the bridge with a bright smile on his face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kitty cat

Henry was watering his Aloe Vera plant when he heard the doorbell ring. He got up to answer it, assuming it would be someone selling something, or maybe someone trying to convince him to join their church.

The big metal door slid open creakily. He'd have to apply some grease at some point, he thought. Until he could think anymore, he realized it was not a random salesperson at his door. It was none other than his favourite student, Emma Perkins, with something clutched in her hands.

"Good afternoon, Emma," he smiled. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, I was walking home from work and I found this little guy in the dumpster next to an office building," Emma explained, opening her hands, where a tiny calico kitten sat. 

It was calico, mostly orange with black and white speckles. It was also incredibly adorable, Henry had to admit, as it yawned. It peered up at him a let out a high-pitched meow. Emma stepped in out of the cold, startling Henry out of his head again.

"It's very cute, Emma, but why did you bring it here?" he asked, closing the door behind her.

Well, we both know I can't afford a cat, Professor, you know that. And you HAVE to get lonely sometimes in this place, right? So...a kitten!"

Henry chose not to answer that. "Emma, you don't even know if it has an owner yet."

"She's a baby, Professor, look at her! And she's so skinny! If she's ever had an owner, they didn't treat her very well," Emma pointed out. At Henry's hesitance, she frowned. "Please, Professor? I'll help pay for her, but I can't put her back on the streets. It wouldn't be right."

"Emma, I could never ask you to pay for anything. I have more than enough to support a cat," he said, reaching out to pet the kitten's soft fur.

"Does that mean you'll take her?"

"I-I suppose so." Henry grabbed his coat. "Come on, you're coming with me to the vet. I'm not getting emotionally attached to her without checking to make sure she doesn't already have a home."

They drove to the only veterinarian in Hatchetfield and were quickly signed in and led to the waiting room. A woman with her dog sat next to them, making the kitten's fur stand on end.

"Shh, my sweet girl, I won't let him harm you," Emma cooed softly. Henry smiled. She was so gentle with the kitten; could this really be the same girl who threw a man twice her size into a wall after he badmouthed her?

Once they were in the examination room, Henry had to convince Emma to put the kitten down so the vet could examine her.

"No tattoos, and she's not in any of our files, so probably a stray," she told them, "In good health, so we'll just give her some shots and she'll be good to go to the shelter."

Before Emma could say anything, Henry jumped in.

"Actually, Doctor, I'll be adopting her."

She didn't look surprised, just nodded. "We can get those papers at the front desk."

Henry had to hold Emma's arm to stop her from slapping the vet when the kitten cried out after getting her vaccination

"Professor, are you sure about this?" she asked, "I didn't mean to pressure you into anything. I'll take her to the animal shelter, if you want?"

"No, Emma, that's quite alright. She's very sweet, I'd be happy to keep her," Henry insisted, signing the last page. "Besides, now you can visit whenever you'd like. I'm sure she'd love someone more nimble than some old man to play with her."

"Professor, don't even start that shit," Emma rolled her eyes, carrying the kitten back out to the car. She hastily added: "But I'd be more than happy to come play with her."

Henry grinned. "What should we name her?"

"She's yours, Professor, you choose."

He took the kitten from her, relishing how soft the fur was under his calloused fingers. "Bean."

Emma giggled. "Bean?"

"Yes."

"I like it," Emma scratched Bean's ears. "Hello, baby Bean! I'm your Aunt Emma!"

"Aunt?" Henry laughed.

"Well, yeah. If you're her dad, I'm her aunt."

Henry shook his head. "I think you're more like her older sister than and Aunt, Emma."

"That's fair," she agreed. As Henry made a turn she continued. "Where are we going?"

"Pet store. I don't have anything necessary to bring a cat into my home. Locks, for one thing. God help us if she got into my lab," he explained.

"Awww, Professor!" Emma teased, "You DO care about her."

"Of course I do, Emma. You think I'm heartless?"

"I think most of your heart is taken up by biology, aliens, and musicals."

"Rude."

As they gathered the supplies for Bean, Henry couldn't stop smiling. If only everyone in his life was as wonderful and thoughtful as Emma Perkins.


End file.
